This invention relates to a coin wrapping apparatus in which a specified number of coins are piled and the piled coins are wrapped in wrapping.
A conventional coin wrapping apparatus of this type, such as one disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 55-34048 or one in Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. 53-36284, includes a coin supply unit having a coin feeder, a coin counter and other devices necessary for coin supply, a coin piling unit for piling coins fed from the coin supply unit in a specified number, a coin wrapping unit for wrapping the piled coins in wrapping, and a unit for driving and controlling these units, whereby coins are automatically piled and wrapped.
The coin piling unit in the coin wrapping apparatus is so designed as to collect coins in a cylinder or coin arranging cylinder having a diameter corresponding to that of the coin. A coin wrapping appratus disclosed in the Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 55-34048 which is applicable for a plurality types of coin having different sizes includes a coin arranging cylinder made up of many segments partially overlapping each other, a mechanism for cooperationally actuating the segments in radial directions and a mechanism for driving the actuating mechanism according to coin type setting operation, so that the coin arranging cylinder can be expanded and contracted.
In coin piling units, it is required to prevent coins from standing in a coin arranging cylinder so that they are properly piled in prostrated state in the cylinder. Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 42-902 discloses a coin piling unit to achieve the above requirement which includes a coin arranging cylinder swingable in vertical and horizontal directions and an operating mechanism for swinging the cylinder according to rotation of a cam driven by a driver.
However, it will be apparent that this structure, in addition to members constituting the coin arranging cylinder, requires a mechanism for supporting the cylinder in such a way that it can be swung and the operating mechanism for swinging the cylinder, consequently making the construction complicated. In addition, if the above-mentioned expandable coin arranging cylinder, which is complicated in construction, is combined with the above-mentioned mechanism to give the cylinder a swing, the entire construction of coin piling unit greatly becomes complicated. Consequently, the problems are involved where constructability and reliability are reduced and construction cost is increased.
Furthermore, a conventional coin wrapping apparatus, separately from a coin piling unit, has a coin wrapping unit in order to fulfill the function of piling a specified number of coins in the proper way and the function of wrapping coins. The coin wrapping unit is provided under the coin piling unit and includes three rotatable rollers. In the coin wrapping unit, a pile of coins conveyed from the coin piling unit is positioned between the rollers. Wrapping is introduced from a wrapping supply unit to a clearance between the rollers and the pile. Simultaneously, the rollers are rotated to wrap the pile in wrapping. However, it will be seen that such separate provision of a coin piling unit and a coin wrapping unit inevitably requires to separately provide their respective components such as a coin arranging cylinder and rollers, and mechanisms for driving and controlling the components, consequently requiring an increased number of components for the unit. Also, since the coin piling unit and the coin wrapping unit are positioned in the vertical direction, the overall height of the coin wrapping apparatus becomes greater. Therefore, such conventional coin wrapping apparatus has disadvantages of having larger size and greater weight.
Moreover, in conventional coin wrapping apparatus, components constituting the coin wrapping unit are provided at specified positions in a main body of a coin wrapping apparatus with being mounted on the fixed frame attached to a main body of the coin wrapping apparatus. Accordingly, when a jam occurs in the wrapping unit due to its improper wrapping process, it is inconvenient to remove jammed wrapping. Also, maintenance is very cumbersome. More specifically, when jam occurs in the wrapping unit, it is required that a door provided in a front panel or side panel of the main body is firstly opened and a hand, a pincette, or other similar tool is inserted through the door and the jammed wrapping is finally removed from a space between the wrapping rollers. Accordingly, smooth removal is difficult and the removing operation is troublesome.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coin wrapping apparatus which eliminates the abovementioned disadvantages.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.